Winx Date Looms For Material Man
16 June, 2018
Thoroughbred
Material Man could be set for a date with the world’s best thoroughbred later this year, following his tough win in the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Belmont.
The Perth Cup winner will be aimed towards the Cox Plate later this year, where a clash with Winx, a winner of the last three Cox Plates, seems likely.
Trainer Justin Warwick said Melbourne’s premier Weight-For-Age event would be the target for the gelding in Melbourne, and would likely target the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) first-up in his east coast campaign.
As a result of the likely trip to the east coast, Warwick said it was unlikely Material Man would attempt to complete a feature winter race treble in the Strickland Stakes (2000m) on September 1.
The Hyperion Stakes was built up a race in three, with Material Man a $1.75 favourite, ahead of Railway Stakes winner Great Shot ($4) and Kingston Town Classic winner (1800m) Pounamu.
Material Man jumped well from barrier one, but Great Shot quickly crossed him to take the lead, while Woodsville sat outside him, which gave the favourite a near perfect trail into the race.
The three favourites quickly cleared out from the rest of the field in the home straight, as Great Shot led them for home.
The Rhys Radford-trained gelding fought desperately to try and hold off Material Man, but under the urgent riding of Lucy Warwick, the Perth Cup winner was too good, winning by a short neck.
Pounamu was a further two lengths back in third.
Warwick said he had plenty of confidence during the 1600m event that his star galloper would return to scale a winner.
“We did have a good run, we drew barrier one, and sit on the main dangers back, so we did have a lot of things go our way,” he said.
“I was always confident the horse would go well, I can’t remember the last time he went bad.
“We are very lucky, and we have all been around long enough to know we have to enjoy the ride.”
Great Shot’s jockey Craig Staples described the gelding as “professional” and conceded the winner was too good.
Pounamu is likely to head to the Strickland Stakes, before he will also head to Melbourne, with connections eyeing off a Caulfield Cup berth.
Pounamu’s trainer and jockey combination Alan Mathews and Patrick Carbery tasted success earlier in the day when talented filly Send My Love won over 1600m.
The filly will now head towards the Listed Belmont Oaks (2000m) in three weeks.
Another in-form three-year-old Come Play With Me booked a start in the Listed Aquanita Stakes (2000m) following his win in the Mumm Champagne Handicap (2100m).
Tim Walker